Vanessa goes into Saks and begs Lucille for her job back, but she soon realizes the effort is futile. On her way out, she passes the black and white dresses she had hidden in the backroom, the ones that were so alike the one Richard had bought for her years ago. By then, things in Vanessa’s life had begun to improve. She’d stopped drinking and started exercising and volunteering regularly. The new changes had begun after she’d come home to an itemized bill for Richard’s credit card on the counter with all the alcohol purchases highlighted. She had lost weight, so when Richard gifted the elegant dress to her, it clung to Vanessa’s body perfectly. He asked her to wear it the gala they were attending that night for Richard’s work. There, Vanessa had a few glasses of champagne and was having a great time, but Richard placed a hand on her shoulder when she swayed to the music.

Later that evening, Vanessa talked to Paul, the most successful man in the room. He was kind and offered to help Vanessa get a teaching job at a school his wife helped fund. Vanessa agreed to think about it, and the two toasted, but Vanessa’s glass shattered in her hand.